


Mutations or Monsters?

by talinatera



Series: From Maker to Monster [3]
Category: Victor Frankenstein (2015), X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies)
Genre: Angst, Crossover, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Swearing, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-19
Updated: 2016-08-22
Packaged: 2018-07-25 08:26:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 15,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7525540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/talinatera/pseuds/talinatera
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It has been a year since Victor and Igor successfully killed their last creation. Life had seemed to shine down its favor upon them. They have a beautiful house to live in, a lab in which to continue their experiments, and a safe haven for them to hide away from the world. So when life shows its dark side to them once again they are not ready. In one explosive creation gone wrong they are thrust into a world of mutations they never knew existed and soon find themselves at the center of it all, quickly becoming the most wanted pair in England. In a world where anything appears to be possible it seems nothing is true anymore except they're in this thing for the long run.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a continuation from "Save Me, You Dim Man" though you need not have read that one to enjoy this one. Just know that I do pull from that story to set the foundation for this one. So the relationship between Victor and Igor, and indeed the rest of the household is already set from the beginning of this story. As you will see this is part three to the series, the second part is a collection of drabbles that will have no impact on this story. 
> 
> I do not claim to own anything except the Fanfic idea, the side characters, and the mistakes.
> 
> I hope you enjoy this fic as much as I've been enjoying writing it.

This was all wrong, they had royally screwed up this time. Igor was not sure where they had gone wrong but there was a purple glow to the room that was radiating from the body they had pieced together. “Victor?” He called out.

“I don't know, I don't know!” Victor yelled back as he backed away from the corpse, or rather former corpse. It slowly floated into the air arms drifting up to its sides, before it started to spin in a circle, gaining speed the longer it went. _'Igor get down!'_ Victor thought, opening his mouth to scream at his partner, but was too late. A burst of energy came from the body as it disintegrated into nothingness. Igor screamed as the glowing light swept over his body and he felt like his skin was being ripped off, over and over again.

Victor reached a hand out to try and reach his friend but then the power touched him and he felt like his head was going to explode from the sudden pressure that seemed to be demanding to break out from the inside. He grasped his head with both hands, and his eyes scrunched closed. His breathing became labored and eventually his scream joined Igor's in the air. The power pulsed through the room several times, making the walls shake and the mortar to be jostled loose from its binding. Victor was just noticing the ceiling that seemed to threaten to fall down atop them before one final blast ended the nightmare throwing both men back into the walls.

Igor was the first to wake up and he groaned as he felt like his entire body was on fire. He ran a hand down his face and hissed as his skin protested at the motion. He looked down at his body and noticed that it was currently blood red. He frowned as he held the hand up, turning it this way and that. It looked like it should hurt like hell, but strangely all he felt was a rather pleasant tingling sensation everywhere. But the longer he looked at it the paler it became... maybe his eyes were simply playing tricks on him. What had happened? A groan caught his attention and his eyes snapped down trying to locate Victor.

“I'm over here.” Came Victor's voice from the other side of the room.

Igor quickly got up and scrambled over the rubble of the laboratory in search of his partner. He grinned in relief as he spotted him and slipped down the side of some pile of rubble. Stones that had fallen from the walls around them no doubt. “Victor!” Igor called out to which Victor hissed and held his hands over his ears.

“Not so loud Igor!” He yelled back, causing himself some pain in the process. He glared up at the man who had come to a halt in front of him. “Not, so loud.” he said quieter this time.

“Sorry.” Igor said with a blush. “What happened?” Was Victor alright? Why was he holding his head?

“I don't know Igor, and no I'm not alright what a stupid question.”

Igor frowned. “But-” Had he said that out loud? He hadn't thought he had... but then again that wouldn't have been the first time he'd spoken his thoughts out loud. He shrugged it off and went to Victor's side and helped him back up onto his feet.

“Yes you did.” Victor said annoyance in his voice. “My head may hurt like there's no tomorrow but my ears are still perfectly fine.”

“Alright Victor.” Igor said with a confused look on his face. He'd just go with it for right now, and question the man's sanity later.

“Igor honestly.” Victor brushed himself off as best he could then shook his head, in an attempt to get the ringing out of his ears. Blast it, he felt all sorts of off right then. “But down to important business, what the hell happened?”

“I don't know Victor. Are parts were from good stock, he had a better brain, a better heart, then we did everything like before. The only change was in the fluid that we were adding to its body.”

“Yes but that shouldn't have done.... what ever just happened.” He started to walk over the rubble and stumbled as his feet protested the sudden use after being thrown back. Igor quickly caught his arm to help steady him. “Thank you.” Victor looked around the room and clicked his tongue. “Do we have any sample of that fluid left? Maybe it was tampered with as a prank.”

“But who would do that to us all the way out here?”

“I don't know, just please answer the question.”

“No Victor, we used the last of that batch here with this one.” He motioned to where the creature had been in the middle of the room. “We made enough for one creature this time round.”

Victor cursed under his breath. They had nothing then. Absolutely nothing to go with to figure out what had happened. He ran his hands over his face before he let out a yell and kicked at one of the broken pieces of the table with his good leg.

This of course didn't phase Igor as he'd seen Victor get upset like this before, so he just kept on talking once Victor had finished taking his frustration out on the table. “And you know while we're wondering things, why in the world did the creature we were working on disintegrate into nothingness? I mean that's not normal right?”

“Don't be so dim. Of course it's not normal.” Victor snapped. “None of this was normal!” It was so strange... what had they done to cause this amount of destruction? The only thing they had changed was the liquid that they used to help reanimate the cells. They had tried a new plant mixture that they thought would help bring vitality to the skin so it would better blend in with society... But that still shouldn't have done something like this! Maybe there had been something wrong with some of the parts they had acquired? “What do you remember of the stories behind the deaths of some of the parts we gathered?”

“What?”

“How they died man!” Victor turned on Igor annoyance on his face. “Do catch up Igor.”

“Sorry Victor!” Igor said returning the man's annoyed look. “My brain's still reeling that something like this-” He motioned to what they were standing in. “-happened!” The two glared at one another a few moments before Igor sighed and looked down. “Sorry Victor.” He said softer. He ran a hand through his hair as he tried to remember the stories behind the deaths of the people they had gathered parts from. He started to shake his head, “Nothing... nothing screams out at me. I think most died of natural causes, or various illnesses that weren't properly treated. A few from fights that got ugly, and... one was executed.”

“The one executed, what was his crime?”

“Her crime,” Igor stressed that it had been a female. “was a series of unusual deaths surrounded her and they managed to link her to every single one. Or at least that's what they claimed. From what I gathered from rumors and talk they were never actually sure how she managed to kill them all. They eventual settled on poison, but even then they weren't positive.”

Victor shook his head and held it in his hands. “Oh Igor... why do we always get someone who's crazy? What did we use from her?”

“The heart and Brain. Because- because!” Igor raised a hand to stop Victor from yelling. “Even though she was found guilty of those deaths she had been a brilliant woman! And then you said yourself when you saw the heart that it was in amazing condition.”

Victor growled and gave a yell of agitation. “Fine. Fine! Dinner, now!” He stormed past Igor ripping his apron off as he walked down the hall. He grabbed the cane at the end of the hall and started to take the stairs at a rather fast pace. Igor sighed but quickly followed after him and back up to the upper levels of the Frankenstein estate, keeping an eye on Victor ready to catch him should his leg protest this sudden abuse. Upstairs Martha was at the door with concern on her face. “Master Victor? Master Igor? The house shook something awful, is everything alright?”

“No, everything is not alright.” Victor snapped, his anger moving to the woman. “In fact-'

“Victor, Victor!” Igor quickly put himself in front of the pissed off man his hands grasping his shoulders. “Victor this is not her fault.”

Frankenstein looked down at Igor then back at Martha then closed his eyes and huffed. Igor turned to look at Martha a smile on his face. “Please tell the cook we'll be ready for dinner within the hour, if it's not too much trouble.” He mouthed for Martha to get out of there and she quickly curtsied and hurried out of the hall to the kitchen not needing to be told twice. Victor shrugged Igor's hands off and started up the stairs. “I'm going to change.”

Igor was right on his heels, matching stride for stride ready to catch him should he push his leg too far. He needed to calm him down, to ease his mind. Igor was frustrated too by the entire thing. They had been so excited about what they had done with this one, the changes they'd made. They were positive that this one would be able to go back into society and live a normal life. It's skin had been smooth, and the stitches so tiny you would have thought them an odd pattern of hair. The best work they had done yet. And in the blink of an eye months of work had just destroyed itself in front of them and they had been able to do nothing to stop it.

“And now we'll have to start all over again.” Victor said as the topped the stairs.

Igor frowned, and fell into step with his partner. “Victor... it's alright. We can figure this out. We'll just... recreate the serum. We have all our notes and we can see what was wrong about it, or if anything stands out now that might have caused a chemical reaction like this.”

Victor finally stopped and turned on Igor again. “Why bother?” Victor said and roughly pushed Igor against the wall. “What's the point of it anymore? It seems that the very universe itself-” He threw a hand into the air as if he could jab the universe with his fingers. “-is against us. Every time we think we make a breakthrough Igor something happens to ruin it! First there was the chimpanzee who went nuts because he couldn't support himself, then there was the man that didn't have a true brain, then there was the one that cared so much he tried to kill everyone I loved so we could be together-”

“And then there was the baby that you saved.” Igor said softly. The smaller man had remained calm as Victor pinned him against the wall, and hadn't tried to struggle free or even move a muscle as Victor started to rant about everything. “If you want to take a break then let's take a break. Let's go visit the city near by, or London, or the ocean!” Igor's eyes lit up at the thought of seeing the ocean. “We have a little place there we can stay at and take a break from what just happened. It would give us time to clear our heads, and time without worrying about running into any of the servants.”

Victor stared at Igor, his eyes searching the others and his head tilted to one side as he slowly started to relax. He let his head hang down and sighed as he finally started to accept that everything they had worked on for the last six months was gone. “Why can't we get this right?” He felt Igor's arms wrap around him and he willingly relaxed into the man's embrace. “Is it so wrong what I want to do?” It was so frustrating... “I mean for Pete's sake our laboratory exploded Igor!”

“Yeah... that was a bit unexpected. But then again things going the exact opposite of what we expect is kind of something we should just start to expect at this point in our life.”

“Igor that's not helping.” Victor growled. Igor snorted and nuzzled his nose into the crook of Victor's neck. “Igor...” Victor mumbled as he knew what the other was trying to do. “Igor no... our lab-” Igor playfully nipped at Victor's neck. “Our lab is in ruins. This... this is not the time-” Igor brought his head up and kissed the jawline of his lover, placing light kisses across it, teasing with his lips. Victor groaned and gave in turning his head to catch Igor's lips with his own. “I hate you.” He muttered against the others mouth.

“Sure you do.” Igor replied before Victor deepened the kiss, his tongue demanding entry from the other. He rolled his hips into Igor's bringing a moan from the smaller man that sent little waves of pleasure coursing through his own body. Frankenstein smirked into the kiss and rolled his hips again enjoying the sounds it got from the other. “Victor.” Igor growled. Victor paid no attention though and caught Igor's wrists in his hands and held them to either side of his head, then pulled away from Igor, just close enough so he could still feel the heat from his body but not close enough to actually be touching the other. He looked the other over a moment, dragging his eyes across the squirming form of Igor who was trying to close the gap between them. “You are so... beautiful.” Victor breathed.

“I'm about to be very un-beautiful if you don't let me go and get back here.” Igor said, annoyance clear in his voice.

“Impatient are we?” Victor said grinning as he felt Igor try to get his hands free from his grasp.

“That is one word that comes to mind.” Igor said as he looked at his right hand like he couldn't believe he could not free it from Vitor's hold. “And you are cruel.”

Victor brought his head closer to Igor's and gave a playful nip at his lips. “Hmmm yes I am aren't I?” He smirked and let Igor go as he pulled away entirely. “Come on, we were getting ready for dinner.”

Igor groaned and glared at Victor's retreating form. This was just like the man. In the last year that they had been together now they had done little more than heavy petting. It was true it was nothing like what he and Lorelei had had together, but then his and Victor's relationship wasn't exactly... normal, by any standard. It wasn't even that he didn't enjoy just that, he enjoyed it very much and often times the pair of them found it to be enough for them. But even with hardly going further than that, Victor normally at least carried on longer than what ever the hell this had been. _'Insufferable, egotistical man. I don't know why I love you.'_ He thought as he stormed after Victor.

“You know I don't know either. And pouting about it is only going to make it worse for you.” Victor said from the bedroom.

Igor frowned as he rounded the corner. “What don't you know either?” Igor walked over to his wardrobe and picked out new clothes to wear. “And I'm not pouting.”

“Really? Then what do you call this whole thing here?” Victor motioned to Igor. “You're practically screaming in your pout.” Victor chuckled as he dodged the shoe that was sent flying at him.

Igor rolled his eyes and changed into something clean. He finished buttoning his shirt up as he turned around. “Ready?” He jumped as Victor was right there almost in his face. “Shit Victor!” He said a hand rushing up to grasp at his chest. “Don't do that.”

Victor shut him up with a kiss. “You look nice.” He hummed.

“Is this your way of apologizing for what didn't happen in the hall?” Igor said trying to hold onto being annoyed with Victor.

Victor rolled his eyes. “Well maybe we can finish what almost happened in the hall after dinner. Yes?”

Igor made a big deal about thinking over the offer, which earned him a smack to the back of his head. He laughed and nodded. “Yes. Yes Victor that will be fine.” He grabbed the others necktie though and pulled Victor back down to his eyes. “But I will hold you to it, you insufferable man.” He quickly kissed Victor's lips then let him go before the other could say a word.

“Good.” Victor choked out as he readjusted his tie and cleared his throat. “Dinner.”

The pair of them made their way down stairs and into the informal dinning area. The formal dinning area had been turned into a massive study for both of them to work in since Victor had become the master of the house. They sat down and Victor gave a ring of the bell to let the servants know that they were there and ready when ever the food was done. “But it still doesn't make sense Igor.” Victor said. “What on this blessed earth caused it to glow purple?” Edward and James entered bringing the food with them setting the platters down on the table in front of the two men.

“I honestly don't know Victor. It was the strangest thing I have ever witnessed.” The two men poured drinks for Victor and Igor, before they set the bottle of wine down on the table as well and then excused themselves from the room. “I mean I don't know of anything that would not only make the body glow purple but have the purple explode across the room.” Igor took a serving of the potatoes that were covered in cheese, then handed the bowl over to Victor who took it and did likewise.

“Did it seem concentrated in any one place?” Victor mused.

Igor looked up to the ceiling as he tried to remember what exactly they had seen. “It seemed to start from... well from the head and heart region, and just kinda grow from there. Maybe traveling along the blood veins?” Igor stabbed a few of the cut potatoes and shoved them in his mouth. Victor rolled his eyes at his friend but said nothing of it. He had learned to just accept that Igor was just always excited for food and never quite got the idea of not shoving it into his face. And if he had been completely honest with himself, he found it kind of cute. Then it hit him what Igor had said.

“From the... head and heart?” He set his fork and knife down as he remembered their previous conversation. Igor took up his glass of Wine and started to take a sip from it. “You don't think... you don't think that the whole thing happened because of... because of that woman do you?”

Igor snorted and looked over at Victor half expecting him to be smirking. But when he caught how serious his friends face had become he set his wine down and reached a hand out to grasp his friends. “Think of what you're saying. How in the world could she have done something like that living? Let alone dead.” Maybe Victor had hit his head in the explosion... He would need to check that out later.

“Igor we have brought dead matter back to life and have it become a thinking man. Are you telling me you cannot believe that it is possible for humans to have... oddities of some kind? What if there was something strange with her? You said that they were never able to figure out exactly how all those people were killed? What if she had something about her that allowed her to kill them without leaving a trace. I mean think about it.”

“Victor what you're saying is that there are people in the world that have... unnatural human abilities? That's absurd. We would have heard about it before now.” He leaned back in his chair as he watched Victor grow frustrated.

“Think about it though!” He slammed his hand on the table as his excitement grew. “What if her unnatural ability, her gift as it were, was something like all she had to do was touch someone with the intent to kill and they died from the inside out. Like a sickness took hold of her victim through the touch or through their breath and- and”

“Victor!”

“Igor! Think about it! Something strange happened down there today. Purple glowing everywhere? We were thrown back by an explosion at a time where no explosion should have occurred. The Body disintegrated right in front of our eyes. Something- something was not right about that woman. We need to get everything they had on her!”

Igor groaned but knew there was no stopping him now. He had gotten the idea in his head and would not rest until he was either convinced it was not a correct theory or proved that it was. “Very well Victor, fine! I'll get on that in the morning.” He said and went back to eating his dinner. _'So much for continuing what we started in the hall.'_ He thought.

“Igor please. There you go sulking again. I won't do anything with you when you're in this kind of mood.”

Igor looked at Victor thoroughly confused. “What in the world are you talking about? I am just trying to eat my dinner.”

Victor looked up at Igor, an incredulous look on his face then scoffed and shook his head. “Fine be that way.”

“What way?” Igor asked, now confused once again. What was with this day? He felt like he was out of the loop of something. Victor said nothing and continued to pick at his food. “Victor, why in the world are you upset with me? I told you I'd look into the girl in the morning? Please tell what part of that is sulking?”

“It's the part you said after that. That's what sulking is.”

Igor frowned as he thought back to the previous statements. “I... I didn't say anything after that though?” Now he was thoroughly confused by this point.

“Damn it Igor yes you did. You were sulking about not getting to finish what was started in the hall. Honestly man I don't know why we put up with each other at times. “

His eyebrows shot up and his mouth dropped open for a moment. “But Victor I didn't say that.” He thought for a moment and found his head hurt at trying to think about it. “Or at least... I thought I didn't say it.” He groaned and rubbed at his temples, then took his glass and finished off the wine, before pouring himself another.

“Well obviously you did because I heard you.”

Igor groaned and slumped back in his chair. “Sorry.” He finally said. “I did not mean to upset you.” He poked at his food his appetite all but gone.

Victor groaned and held his face in his hands. “No... no you have a right to be upset.” He ran his hand through his hair and looked at Igor. “I'm sorry.”

Igor looked over and gave him a half smile. “I love you. You know that right?”

Victor snorted and looked away for a moment before looking back and nodding his head. “Yes. As I do you. Though I have no idea how I managed to get your love. Nor what I do to keep it.”

Igor grinned and leaned over the table as best he could and placed a kiss on his mouth. “Because you are you.” He said before falling back into his chair and eating his food once again. Victor smiled at the comment and focused on eating his own food. They certainly were an interesting pair.

 


	2. Chapter 2

The next day Igor and Victor took two horses to the town where Igor had gotten the body of the female. It took most of the day to get there and so they spent the night outside with the horses before Igor went into town the next morning; Victor saying he'd meet him after his meeting. Igor walked into the station spinning his hat between his hands as he nervously looked around. He hated anything to do with authorities. They had simply been under their eye one too many times for Igor's liking and the sooner he could be done with this place the better. He stepped up to the counter and cleared his throat. The man behind the counter looked over his glasses and sighed. “And what can I do for you?”

“I'm was looking for information concerning Amelia Starsmore?”

The guard raised an eyebrow. “And what's your relation to her?”

“I'm her brother.” He replied hastily.

“Indeed? Well I hate to be the one to inform you but Amelia Starsmore has been deceased for five months now.”

Igor tried to look shocked and hurt at the news. “But... I came here as soon as I got her letter...” He looked down at the ground a moment, then brought his gaze back up. “What happened?”

“She was tried for the murder of some thirty odd people.”

“What!”

“Yep. She was found to be guilty on all charges.”

“That's... that's unbelievable. She was one of the kindest women I ever knew. Yes she could be a little head strong... but murdering people? No... no. That can't be right.”

“Believe it or not, our boys looked into her and found her guilty for every last one of them murders.”

“Please... Please are there any records about the whole business I could read over? Just to give me some closure?”

The man sighed and gave a long hard look at Igor. “What did you say your name was?”

“I didn't.” Igor said. “I'm Daniel. Daniel Starsmore.” He paused then added, “please, I came from the mainland trying to get here. Let me read what my sister did.”

“What was her letter to you?”

Igor quickly pulled out the letter he had readied just for this occasion. He and Victor has gone over all of this the night Victor had concocted this idea after dinner. Like he had suspected nothing else happened between the two of them that evening, but preparing for this had almost been as fun. And of course whiskey had been involved. He handed over the crumpled letter to the man. “She mentioned that she was in some sort of trouble and needed me to come and bring her home. I of course left just as soon as I could, but you know how precarious traveling can be.”

The man gave a long sigh and finally handed the letter back to Igor. “Fine. It's not like what we found was a big secret. Just sit over there and I'll have Hank bring you what we got on her.”

“Thank you sir. Thank you.” And with that Igor went to the table and waited for the information to be brought to him. Soon enough a small pile of papers was set in front of him and he quickly got to work searching through the information, looking for anything that might help prove or disprove Victor's theory. He had brought a pad of paper to take notes with and soon was scribbling away in it, and sketching out any images the police had sketched themselves. The more he wrote down though the more it looked like Victor's theory made sense, well only if you looked at it that way.

After almost copying the entire file he quickly put his paper away and got up. All the victims had come from the same part of town, and in the report ever last victim had been seen in a pub inn called the 'Merry Dragon'. He looked over at the man at the front counter. “Thank you. It's so hard to grasp that she actually did this... Thank you for letting me look over it.” He gave a sniff then inclined his head good bye and quickly left the station. He took a deep breath as soon as he was out the door and finally felt his heart start to calm down. That had been the most stressful thing he'd done since... since the last creature he and Victor had created.

“Alright... the Merry Dragon.” He brought out the sketch he'd made of the map of the town, highlighting areas he thought would be helpful. He started down the street, and headed back to the stables he and Victor had left their horses at. Victor said he'd be there just after lunch time, and to meet up with him there. And judging by the sun it was about that time now. He arrived there quick enough and was soon fiddling his thumbs as he waited. He looked up and down the street for the man as he waited on the corner and started to bite his lip. “Come on Victor... Where are you?” He began to rock back and forth on his feet as the minutes clicked past. After a half hour went by he started to pace up and down the length of the stable yard as he kept an eye out for Victor. Had they missed each other? Or had Victor simply been distracted by something else? Finally he decided that Victor had simply gotten carried away with something and they'd meet here again in the evening. By this point he had memorized the path to the pub and so started out there on his own.

He kept his head down as he passed people, though he did flick his eyes around in search of Victor. Where was he? He came around the corner of 5th and New street and bit his lip as he tried to remember if it was a left or a right. He finally cursed under his breath and pulled out the piece of paper again and found where he was on the map. “Left.” He shook his head and stuffed it back in his pocket and took the left path crossing in front of an ally.

“Igor.” It was so faint he had almost missed it. He stopped and looked around. He did not see anyone right off hand and so shrugged his shoulders and started off again, though he didn't make it two steps before he heard it again. “Igor.” This time he was certain he'd heard something and really looked around him. It had sounded like Victor... maybe? “Victor?” He called out, not entirely sure that's who actually called him. “Victor... is that you? Where are you?” There came no reply that time and Igor circled around and his eyes fell down the ally way. It was rather poorly lit, as the roofs from either building beside it nearly blocked all the light out, but he started down it deciding it was the last place to look. “Victor?” He called again. He was careful where he stepped and chewed his lip the further he went into the ally. The deeper he got into the ally though the more his head started to bug him. Now was not the time for that. His head had become an annoyance, giving off what he could only describe as a dull ache since shortly after the explosion. “Victor are you here?”

“...Igor.” It sounded like it came from his left. He whipped his head around and scanned the rubbish along the wall and soon picked out the shape of Victor crouched down with his hands clasped to his head. “Igor... it... it hurts.” He said through gritted teeth.

“Oh my- Victor.” Igor knelt next to Victor and quickly placed a hand on his shoulder. “Victor, what hurts?” He assumed it was the head based on what Victor was clutching at but he could not see anything wrong at that moment. “Victor?” The man only seemed to curl into a tighter ball at his voice. Igor sighed and sat down next to him, and wrapped his arms around his friend. He pulled himself close to Victor, leaning his head against the others. _'It's alright Victor... I'm here.'_ he thought to himself though he didn't dare say the words out loud for fear of doing something to the other. _'How can my voice hurt his head? Is he suffering from... a sever head ache?'_

“I don't know... I don't know Igor. Everything is just so loud... why is everyone talking all at once? And none of it makes any sense.”

Igor frowned and looked around the pair of them. There were a few people at the end of the street, and even though they were talking he could not hear what they saying from here. But besides those people they were alone in the ally, and it was actually fairly quiet. “Victor... Victor there's hardly anyone here.”

Victor scoffed and looked over at Igor. “Have you gone deaf? How can you not hear... hear everything that's going on?”

“Victor the only other people here besides us are at the end of the ally. Look around you. Who are you talking about?”

Victor looked up and looked around and realized that Igor was correct. What he was hearing... it was impossible. There weren't enough people in the ally to justify the voices he heard. He buried his head into his arms. If the voices he was hearing weren't in the outside world... “Shit... This is it then... I've finally cracked.” He knew he heard voices. There was a woman who was complaining about her husband, children that were playing and planning pranks, a father thinking how to feed his family... It was all so loud and so painful. As if they were all screaming it into his mind. It hurt so much, and yet there was no one here! It was all inside his head.

Igor sighed and started to rub circles on Victor's back. “You've not cracked Victor... You're just tired. Come on, let's check out the pub I got information on, then we'll head home and get you to bed. Think you can manage that?” Victor waited a few moments as he tried to decide if he could do what Igor asked and finally nodded his head. Igor helped Victor up and wrapped his arm around him to walk him to the end of the ally. They paused just before they got to the street, and Igor looked at Victor again. “You good?” Victor took a breath and nodded his head. He pushed himself away from Igor and straightened out his clothes.

“Let's just get this over with.” He got out through gritted teeth. He still heard the voices, he heard them coming from all around them. But Igor couldn't... and it wasn't like Igor to try and pull a fast one on him. He never lied about... well anything. So the voices that he heard? They were fictional, they had to be. Except he had heard Igor too... That's how he knew to call out. He had heard Igor talking, worrying about him and that was how he knew to call out. And if they had been fictional then how had he known Igor was there? Unless of course that one had been real while the rest were simply fictitious. He shook his head as if to throw the thoughts from his mind and only focused on Igor's back. That... actually seemed to help. The more he focused on every crease and winkle in the coat the further and further away the voices seemed to be. So it was all in his mind, he was simply cracking, despite Igor's denial to the fact. Maybe... maybe then his theory was wrong too. “Igor.”

“Are you holding up alright?” Igor looked over his shoulder, worry clear on his face.

“Y-yeah I am. I just...” He looked as Igor stopped and turned to face him. Then Igor reached a hand out and gently grasped his shoulder.

“Are you sure? You look... pale.”

Victor thought a moment his eyes falling to the ground before he took a breath and nodded his head. “Yeah I'm fine. Just wondered how much further?”

Igor snorted and shook his head slightly. “Ever the impatient one. It's actually right over there across the street.”

Victor looked where Igor pointed and regretted it almost immediately as the voices started to crash in on him again. He looked back at Igor and focused on the color of the coat and the way the strands were woven one right next to the other. “Lead the way.” He eventually said after Igor stood there a while, unsure what Victor was doing. Igor nodded his head and lead the way across the street and walked into the pub, Victor right on his heels.

Igor walked in and took a glance around. It seemed populated enough for it being an afternoon, though something seemed off about it... but not in a bad way... It actually felt good? Maybe safe and comfortable? He shrugged and walked over to the bar area, taking Victor's hand in his as he did so to make sure he followed; as soon as they were leaned up against the counter though he released his grasp. “Hello.” He said to the bar tender. “I was wondering if you could tell me anything about Amelia Starsmore and the people she killed?”

“G'day to yah too.” The man quirked a brow and frowned. “Are you a copper?”

“Nope, just a friend of her brother.”

“Funny she never mentioned havin one.”

“They weren't on the best of terms with one another. It's been a crazy life for me going back and forth between the pair of them. Like I was some carrier pigeon or something.” He chuckled.

The man quirked eyebrow. “How'd yah know she was even here?”

“He received a letter from her some months ago. By the time I got here though... well I just found out what happened. I was hoping that you would have more information I could give her brother? They may have had sibling fights but he cared for her deeply.”

The bar tender made a face ad started to pick back up with his cleaning. “I'm afraid I won't be much help.”

“Oh I think you'll be more help than you realize. Just please-” He gave a shy smile. “I'll take any information you have that I can bring back to her brother.”

The man looked over at Victor and quirked a brow. “What's wrong with'im?”

Igor looked over his carefree mask falling as he saw Victor hunched over with his head against the counter top. “Victor?” He asked and placed a hand on his back. “Victor what's wrong?”

“It's so damn loud Igor.” He said placing his hands over his head again. “They're all so loud.” He moved his head to look at Igor and focused on his face. Noted the color of his eyes, the way his eyebrows seemed to have grown a little more wild as time had passed by. Saw the winkles starting to form in the corners of his eyes and mouth, though... he seemed brighter than normal. The more he focused the quieter the room got. “Igor... what's going on?”

Igor's face was riddled with worry, “Come on let's get you out of here.”

The bartender spoke up at that. “Hold on, your friend there won't make it out of the town the way he's projecting.”

“What?” Igor said snapping his head back.

“Projecting. Bloody hell boy I can feel every emotion he's picking up.”

“What are you talking about?” Igor was so confused.

“Igor...”

“Come on, follow me. I have a room upstairs that'll help the lad.”

Igor looked to Victor who only nodded his head. Frankenstein didn't understand why but he knew he could trust this man. He did not mean them any ill will. Igor sighed but he trusted Victor and so he helped him up the stairs as the pair of them followed the man. “Right through here.” He opened a door to the back left room and Igor hauled Victor in and heard the door close behind them with a click. He panicked a moment and turned around but found the man was in the room with them and was making his way to the other side. He looked back to Victor and saw an immediate difference in his facial expression and body language.

“Victor?”

The taller man waved a hand and gave a slight nod of his head. “It's better now...” He looked to the new man. “How did you know this would help?”

“Cause this room was made fer people like you.”

“I'm afraid I don't follow.”

The man studied Victor for a few moments then shook his head in disbelief. “I cannae believe this. You really are a late bloomer aren't yah?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Congratulations lad yer a telepath.”

 

*

 

There was silence in the room. The pub owner had left the pair of them to their own devices after he had given a rather crude explanation of what was going on with Victor. He also answered Igor's question about the woman. Apparently she and the pub owner had been partners in helping... gifted people in this part of the world. He could tell what kind of powers others had just by looking at them, and she had been able to help people come into their gifts. Though the man also let on that she had recently discovered that she had the ability not only to help others uncover their powers but had figured out how to give powers to people that probably never would have had a gift. Though... not all of the people she tried it with took to the gifts. He wasn't sure how it all worked, he was a pub owner not a bloody man of science. That was actually how she had been linked to the deaths. Some of them had been people she had been trying to help discover their powers, others had been ones she had tried to give powers to. He had tried to make her stop but she had been to wrapped up in her desire to give the underdogs a one up on those in authority.

It was a lot to take in for both men. So by some weird twist of fate they had just so happened to get the crucial pieces from that woman to plug into their newest creation. And because of her mutation the remaining pent up power inside of her exploded when mixed with their liquid concoction. And something inside Victor had connected with that final burst from the gift giver and he now could read into others minds. Why hadn't he died though? Based on what the pub owner said when she set her sights on you, you either got a gift or died. Victor sat on the edge of the bed staring down at the floor. Igor was confused by the lack of enthusiasm he had expected from the man for being right. Though to be right and find out that he had been given this... mutation was a lot to try and digest. “Igor please...”

“Sorry...” he quickly said and focused down on the floor. He stared at the patterns in the rug and how the threads wove together. The way the colors changed and that it needed a good cleaning. Which reminded him that he needed to tell Martha about the stain he'd noticed on the entrance rug... and shit there he'd gone again thinking... and he was still doing it. This was going to be really hard. He heard a chuckle from beside him and felt arms wrap around him and pull him close.

“I love you Igor.” Victor whispered in his ear. “Thank you for trying.”

Igor blushed but leaned into the embrace. “Sorry my mind keeps running off... I'll figure it out.”

Victor sighed and buried his head into Igor's back. “It's not you that needs to figure it out. It's me. I need to figure out how to block everyone out.”

“In the mean time though I'll try to think quieter.” That earned him anther chuckle from Victor.

“You know though, I knew that your mind was brilliant but I never knew how little it actually shut off. You think a lot more than you let on you sneaky man.”

“Well... I do try to think over everything from all angles before I say anything about it. There's no point in you having to hear my thinking process. Though I guess now you'll get a front row seat.” Igor frowned. “I'll need to find a way to block that though. It shouldn't all be on you when it comes to us. I mean we live together after all.”

“Igor shhh.” he said. “We'll figure this out together, maybe back at the estate?”

Igor nodded his head and sighed. “Yes... Yes that's probably for the best.”

There was silence for a while, then Victor spoke up again though it was softer this time. “Igor... the man sensed that you have something too.”

Igor froze, his mind going blank as the words sunk in. He had a mutation as well? That would make sense... that would answer the question as to why he was still alive... He focused on his body and tried to decide if he felt anything off. After a few moments of not feeling anything different he frowned. “Are you sure?”

“I know that he was sure. He's also suspicious of why at least I am such a late bloomer. Apparently it's odd for people to come into their mutations so late in life.”

Igor hummed and made a face. “Then we'll need to head out as soon as you feel up to it. Did you gather why this room helps you block everyone out?”

“Something about a material that was woven into the walls when it was built. It doesn't block it fully, there's not enough of what ever it is, but it is enough to tone them all down to something manageable.” He sighed and let go of Igor and fell back onto the bed. Igor quickly curled up next to him, bringing his arms up to his chest between the pair of them. Victor stared up at the ceiling as he focused on the panels and the way the grain ran along them. “I'm glad you're here...” He breathed out.

“Where else would I be?”

“I think anyone would have hightailed it out of this relationship as soon they realized their thoughts were no longer their own... Not to mention the countless other things we've been through.”

“Well thank the stars I'm not just anyone.” He pushed himself up and placed a kiss on Victor's forehead. “Try not to be so dim.” He whispered and laid back down. Victor smirked at the words used and closed his eyes. He knew Igor was worried about him, but no where did he feel that the man wanted to leave him, or in fact that the thought had ever crossed his mind.

“What did I do to deserve you Igor?”

“Everything.” Came the sleepy reply.

Victor snorted and shook his head. “I think you're forgetting the hard times.”

“Not at all, I just focus on how we worked through them.” He said through a yawn. “Oh Victor come along. If we're not planning on staying here for the night we need to get to our horses and ride out of town.” He sat up and stretched his arms above his head.

“Let's... let's stay here then. I don't think the man downstairs means us any ill will. Here-” he pulled out his coin bag and pulled out the appropriate amount for room and board. “This is what he charges. Run downstairs and pay him for the use of this room for the evening.”

Igor nodded and headed out the door and down the stairs. He quickly found the pub owner behind the bar and purchased a stay in the room for the evening. The owner smiled kindly at him and nodded his head taking the rent. “What would yah like fer yer dinner?”

“Umm...” He heard something faint in the back of his mind and he frowned. “What do you have?”

“I got some meat that's just finished being cooked, or got some meat stew served with a loaf of bread. As far as drinks go we have a few of the local brews, whiskey, and red wine.”

Igor was about to say something when he heard the sound again. He looked around them trying to see if he could see anyone. He shrugged and turned back to the pub owner. “I know we'll want the whiskey, as for the food...” he chewed his lower lip as he tried to decide. “Um... the stew please. For both of us.”

“Alright I'll have Mary bring it up to yah.” Igor nodded his thanks and turned to go back up the stairs, but he only made it half way to the stairs when a woman about his height stepped in front of him. Her eyes were a brilliant purple, her hair a light blonde.

“I haven't seen you before. Are you new around here?”

“Umm I'm just, I'm just passing through.”

“Oh really?” She smiled and for what ever reason Igor found that the longer he looked into the others eyes the more relaxed he felt around her. “I've been bored all night, and I can tell you know how to have a good time.”

“Umm not really, I'm actually quite boring...”

The other brought a hand up and caressed his cheek, before she rumpled his hair. “Come on I bet you're more exciting than you let on.” She plucked Igor's hand in her own and started to pull him along. “They're playing a wonderful jig, come dance with me.”

“I- I'd really rather not.” He attempted to pull his hand free from the woman's grasp. “I actually have someone to get back to.” His mind was screaming at him to break free of her grasp and run away, but even though his mind screamed at him to stop he found his body wasn't obeying his desires. They made it to the center of the room, her eyes never leaving his, her hand never letting his go. She took up his other hand and placed them around her, still keeping contact with his skin. _'Victor...'_ He thought.

“See? Isn't this fun?” She said as she lead them into the dance, moving them around the small space slowly angling them towards the corner where there was an exit to a back street she knew of. The crowded space had Igor feeling claustrophobic and the smells that invaded his senses all but made him want to vomit. He needed to get away, but at the same time he felt like he had absolutely nothing better to do then be with her right now. The woman smirked as she knew she had all but won over his mind. How quickly men fell to her powers. She had sensed he had a powerful gift about him and she wanted it. Yes this mind controlling one she'd stumbled upon years ago was nice and all but it didn't stop the clock on her life. What he had though... she would never need to worry about her life again.

'No!' He thought, but answered “Yeah... I guess so.” The women eye's glinted like she had finally gotten what she desired and moved them closer to the door, pulling him closer to her. She ran a hand down the side of his face playing with the stubble that had come up over their days of traveling.

“That's it just relax. This is so much fun.” She spun him around so his back was to the door and brought one of her legs up to his waist then slid it down the side of his leg. Igor's mind fought between excitement and disgust. He didn't want this, he didn't want what ever she was doing, but it was like his body had other ideas and had disconnected from what he thought he wanted. She grinned and pressed herself against him, giving his jaw a quick kiss, while her hand looked for the handle of the door so she could shove him outside when out of nowhere everyone but Igor, yelped in pain and doubled over.

“Don't you touch him!” Victor shouted both verbally and mentally. Igor stumbled sideways as the woman broke contact with him and he took in deep breaths like he hadn't been able to breath properly. “Igor come here, now.” Victor said through clenched teeth.

Igor did not hesitate in running around the people who were now straightening up and back to Victor. “Victor I'm so sorry I don't know what-” Victor brought a hand up to silence him, his eyes still on the woman who was on the other side of the room. He could feel the anger roll off the man, could feel it in his mind. He had experienced Victor's anger before but never to this degree.

“Don't you ever touch him again! Do you understand me?” Victor lashed out at the woman, his thoughts attacking her mind. How he did it he was not sure but he knew she felt him in her mind, ripping through it by the way she was still hunched over trembling. _'He is mine!'_ He screamed at her mentally. She nodded her head over and over again, apology after apology spilling from her lips. After a few moments of Victor glaring at the woman who was still on the floor Igor placed a hand on his shoulder. This startled Victor and he turned around and saw Igor standing there. His eyes softened and suddenly his head really hurt. He brought a hand up to rub it and frowned, “Igor I need to- to lie down.”

“What the hell was that?” Came the familiar voice of the pub owner. Igor quickly turned around to explain what had happened but he realized that the owner was not yelling at them, but rather the blonde with purple eyes. “What have I told you about coming in here and causing trouble? I've given yah leniency cause yer one of us but this is the last straw. You come back here again and I'll make sure yer sorry arse is thrown in jail!” The woman started to sputter one thing after another claiming she had done nothing wrong, that she hadn't know Igor was a man spoken for, that this was unfair treatment. But the owner was having none of it and motioned for a large man. The presumed guard of the pub or what ever he was came up beside him and proceeded to pick the woman up with little trouble and took her outside, returning alone. The pub owner then turned on the pair of them. His eyes softened a little as he looked at Igor's pale face and Victor's slumped form. “Ach get on up to tha room you two. I know this wasn't yer fault, so I'll let it slide.”

Igor thanked him and quickly disappeared upstairs and back into the room. He helped Victor onto the bed and then sunk into the bed himself. There was silence between them while each man thought over what had just happened. “Are you alright Igor?”

Igor jumped a little at Victor's voice and turned his head. He found the man staring at him, his eyes tired and red. “Yes... yes I think so. Victor I swear that I didn't-”

Victor smiled weakly and hushed him. “I know. I was in your mind. I was trying to see if I could get you to hear me the way I hear you. I think it almost worked while you were ordering the food,” he sighed and gave a soft snort. “but that's how I knew what was going on. It started when she locked eyes with you, and then only strengthened when she took your hand. I could feel her doing something to your mind and I couldn't fix it. I could see it happening right in front of me as it were.” He made a face at the memory then sighed. “I know you were trying to break free of her, so don't fret thinking I'm upset with you. I know it wasn't your fault.”

“So... you heard me cry out in my mind then?” Victor nodded his head. “And the sound I heard in the back of my mind was you trying to tell me what you wanted to eat?” Another nod. “Well... I hope you like stew.” He said sheepishly.

Victor was quiet a moment then laughed and buried his head into the bed. “That's what you're worried about...” He shook his head and looked back up. “As a matter of fact that's exactly what I wanted.”

Igor grinned and relaxed. “You know though, being able to talk in the mind... that will come in handy to be sure.”

Victor grinned mischievously, “Oh yes I can imagine several things it'll come in handy with.” Igor grinned but they were interrupted by a knock at the door and the woman named Mary entered with their dinner. She gave a quick bob of a curtsy and set the tray down on the table before she inclined her head and quickly left the men alone again. “Mmm that smells wonderful.”

Igor snorted and moved off the bed and walked to the small table. “Come along Victor let's eat then go to bed.”

“Even after a year of being together you're still no fun.”

“I'm no fun?” Igor looked over eyes wide. He made to say something then shook his head and sat down at the small table. “Come along Victor.”

Victor grinned and walked over and sat across from Igor. “You know I saw what you were going to say.”

“I know.” He said lightly as he ripped a piece of the bread off and soaked it in the stew.

“This is going to take some time to get used to... to figure out how to use it efficiently.” He started to eat his own dinner.

Igor nodded his head, took his drink in his hands and took a sip of the amber liquid. Then there was silence between the pair of them both out loud and mentally as each man enjoyed the food that had been brought to them.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own anything except the fic idea, the side characters, and the mistakes


	3. Chapter 3

The next day found the pair of them tangled together with the sheets a mess around them. Both had kept their breeches on, but near everything else had been stripped off for the sake of being comfortable. Igor was the first one to stir and he took a deep breath in and let it out in a huff as he realized that it was morning. He could have slept for three more hours easily, but as he took in the room around them he was reminded that they were not at home, and this was not their bed. He looked at the man in front of him and smiled as he saw Victor still fast asleep. Even after everything that had happened he still managed to look so peaceful when he slept. Yes there was a small frown line between his brows but everything else was so relaxed and calm looking. He wondered what it was like now for him to dream. Were his dreams more realistic now? Or had they changed at all? Could he hear him in his dreams? That would be annoying to still be able to hear the thoughts of those around you, even while you slept. Maybe he should just go back to sleep then so he wouldn't disturb Victor's resting. Igor sighed and nuzzled his face into the crook of Victor's neck and just took in the smell of his lover. He would never grow tired of that wonderful scent. It always calmed his mind, always made him feel like he was home. With every breath he took he sank deeper and deeper into the bed and his mind started to be lulled back into sleep.

“Igor...” Victor grumbled. “You make it so hard to actually sleep.” He said through a sleepy voice. Igor woke back up and chuckled, causing his breath to tickle along Victor's skin. The man groaned and moved around so Igor' face was no longer buried into his neck. “Why can't you sleep till a normal hour like me?” He said as his eyes found Igor's.

“Because if I left the sleeping schedule up to you we wouldn't get out of bed till three in the afternoon and wouldn't see it again till the next morning.” He said, "Though to be fair, I was almost asleep again just now." He gave Victor's nose a light kiss.

Victor chuckled as his eyes drifted close again. “Mmm that sounds about right.”

Igor could hear he was losing the man again to the clutches of sleep. The only problem with that now was Igor had heard Victor's voice and now in his mind knew that both of them should be awake. “Victor.” He whispered. The other gave a half attempted hum. “Victor the sun's up.” No response this time. Igor wiggled close again. “Victor...” Still nothing. Igor grinned and brought his face back to the crook of Victor's neck then started to place light teasing kissing on the exposed skin there. It did not take long for Victor to start to squirm under the teasing touches and soon he groaned again. Though part of him wanted to give into Igor's wish anther part wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep, so his eyes stayed firmly shut, He did however stretch his neck out so Igor could have an easier time of getting to it. Igor grinned and slowly made his way up the side of Victor's neck, to his jaw, then stopped just at the corner of Victor's mouth. He left his face close enough that it would take very little to kiss him, but he refused to finish the trip to his mouth until Victor opened his eyes.

Victor huffed and opened his eyes and caught the mischief in Igor's. “Honestly?” He said, his skin still tingling from the light traces where Igor's lips had been. He wanted more and he let Igor know it through that look he had perfected over the year. Igor let out a breath, a smile on his face and brought his lips down and gently kissed him, each one slow and deliberate. The two enjoyed the contact it gave them and neither tried to change from the easy, tender kisses. Victor brought a hand up lazily and cupped the back of Igor's head and traced his thumb along the hairline of the other, pulling down just enough to deepen the kiss slightly. That made Igor hum in delight and ran his tongue along Victor's lower lip, asking for entrance into the mouth. Victor waited a moment, feeling as Igor ran his tongue over his lips again before he opened his mouth and allowed him in. The smaller man grinned into the kiss before losing himself a moment in the kisses. This was so nice, so peaceful and Igor almost didn't want to do anything else, though logically he knew they needed to get home. He sighed and made to move away from Victor, but the hand on the back of his neck applied pressure when it realized he wasn't just getting another breath of air. “Victor.” He muttered against his lips. The man only hummed in response. “Victor.” He said a little more serious this time round. "We have to get home..."

“Igor.” Victor replied with the same tone. _'I know you want this too.'_

Igor gave a little jump at the voice in his head, but he quickly hid the smile. _'That's not fair.'_ He said, attempting a frown.

“Maybe not, but it's not my fault you're putting it out there for all the world to know.”

Igor huffed. He shook his head free of Victors grasp and pushed himself up slightly. "You can be a bit much at times, you know that?" Victor grinned and pushed himself towards Igor nipping at his lips, asking for him to come back. Igor licked his lips and tried to decide what was best to do. Victor smirked and let himself fall back down into the bed. He quirked a brow and raised his arms above his head as if daring Igor to leave then. Igor groaned and dropped his head back down and quickly bit Victors lower lip. "Tease." He grumbled, but smirked soon after. Two could play at that game. With quick movements he swung a leg over Victor and laid himself on top of the man, taking his hands and pining them against the bed where they were above his head. He pulled his head back as he had taken Victor by surprise. “Did I not let that out there for all the world to see?” He said with a smug grin on his lips.

Victor made to move his arms from the hold Igor had on them, but the position he had been maneuvered into gave Igor the upper hand and Victor found he could do little more than wiggle his wrists in their hold. _'Igor come on.'_ He thought an annoyed look on his face. Normally he would have enjoyed Igor doing something like this, but right then it was too much for him. He felt like he had lost control with everything else going on in his life...

“Mmm no." Igor said playfully, not aware of Victor's thoughts. "No I think I like this Victor.” He leaned down and brushed a ghost of a kiss on the corner of Victor's mouth. Victor turned his head to try and catch the lips with his own but Igor was too quick for him and was out of reach faster than he could blink. Igor smirked as he heard Victor in his head again, demanding that he get back there that instant, and talked about all the things he wasn't go to do to him because of this and, Igor shut him up with a roll of his hips that made the man's breath hitch. “I don't think threatening me right now is in your best interests Victor.” He said with another roll of his hips. It had been ages since Igor had done something like this to Victor, because for the most part Igor enjoyed this being the other way round, but every now and again he enjoyed having fun like this. Especially when he knew Victor enjoyed it too.

“I do not.” Victor said, trying to keep the light from his eyes.

“Victor how long have I been your partner? Years and years and years. And you think I won't know when you're lying?” He quirked a brow and grinned as a small blush spread across Victor's cheeks. He bent down again and this time kissed him properly. He could feel Victor arch up to him to try and deepen the kiss but he kept the kiss under control. He knew what they could get like if they weren't careful and they weren't at the estate right then. And he didn't fancy testing out just how durable this bed was... Then Igor's breath hitched as Victor finally managed to roll his hips up into Igor's, giving a grimace as he did so, his jaw clenched from the effort it had taken. “Victor, Victor no.” He quickly said, this time genuinely concerned. “Your leg-” The injury was healed for the most part, he did have a cane he used to help when it became too tired. But in bed it had taken a trial and error approach figuring out exactly what he could and couldn't do. Pushing up into the the bed when Igor was on top was one of the things that he most definitely shouldn't do. 

“Then stop teasing me Igor.” He growled out and rolled his hips up again, being stubborn and pushing past the pain that jolted up his leg.

Igor huffed but released Victor's wrists and together they flipped themselves around, Igor taking care to watch the leg. He moved his leg underneath's Victor's injured one to help support it and could see the relief in Victor's eyes as he did so. "You stubborn man." He said with a click of his tongue. Igor would never forgive Victor's father for what he'd done to his son. He had never thought a man capable of hurting his own flesh and blood in the way Frankenstein had hurt Victor. Victor had been injured from a nasty wolf bite and Frankenstein Senior had taken advantage of that, and did such damage to the leg that it was a miracle that Victor could walk anything resembling normal. If Victor heard his thoughts he made no comment about them and only captured Igor's lips once again, asking for entrance and exploring the familiar curves of the other mans mouth. Igor couldn't have stayed annoyed with Victor at that point even if he'd wanted to and so wrapped his arms around Victor and pulled himself closer, trying to press their bodies together, wanting to feel his weight on top of him. Victor obliged for the most part, though he kept far enough away to remove his mouth from Igor's and return the favor of the teasing kissing along his neck. Igor grinned and squirmed as Victor placed the kisses down his neck. Then he felt a warmth wash over his mind, a warmth like he had never felt before. It seemed to feel every crack and tear in his mind with a gentle, embracing warmth that he thought would heal every hurt he'd ever felt. He gasped and his eyes flew open. Victor stopped and brought his head up concern on his face. The warmth left his mind almost immediately and Igor looked into Victor's eyes. “What... What was that?” He asked.

“What was what?” Victor asked confused.

“That... that warmth? There was this warmth that all but took over my mind-” Victor's eyes widened and he sat up, worry clear on his face. Igor hurried on. “It was amazing. I- I've never felt anything like it before.” He said breathless.

“Really?” Victor relaxed as Igor brought his hands up and rubbed them along the skin he could reach.

“Yes. Can- can you do it again?”

Victor made a face and shrugged. “Don't know.” He focused on Igor and tried to send out a sensation of warmth to the other man, but when no reaction came from Igor he huffed and looked away. “I don't know what I did Igor, sorry.”

Igor wiggled and squirmed his hips free from the weight of Victor so he could sit up properly and wrapped his arms around him in a hug. “Don't worry about it. I know you'll figure it out. I have a feeling that it may have been involuntary.” He placed a kiss on Victor's shoulder then wiggled free the rest of the way. “Come on, we need to get dressed and be going anyways. I can only hope our horses are still at that stable.” Victor groaned but nodded his head and proceeded to get redressed so they could start their journey back home.

In no time at all they both looked presentable once again and made their way back down stairs. Almost immediately the voices hit Victor loud and hard. He stumbled and grabbed onto Igor who seemed to have been ready for it. It took a moment for him to focus on the back of Igor's coat and slowly block out everyone else as he thought of the way that each strand of the coat fit perfectly together, but still keeping their individual identity. Igor shot a hand out for Victor to take, which he did willingly enough and the pair made their way to the pub owner. "Do you have something we can eat on the go?"

 

The pub owner nodded his head and sliced off a chunk of bread and cheese for both of them. Igor handed Victor's portion to him before setting down the money for both, then plucked up his own food. “Thank you." He said through a small smile. "For all your help.” Igor gave a slight bow. “We'll be heading back today.”

“Alright. Will your friend be okay?”

Igor smiled. “Yeah, I just need to get him home.”

The man made a face as if trying to decide on something important. “Look I know something's up with him, and probably you too. But I hate tah see a fellow gifted suffer like tha so I'm gonna give yah the name of someone who should be able tah help'im get his gift under control. If he asks who sent yah just say tha Toby sent yah. He'll help no questions asked.”

Igor stared at the man hardly daring to believe that he was actually offering his help in such a way. Finally his brain started to work again and he quickly nodded it. “Th-thank you. Thank you very much sir.” He said with a smile. The man snorted and wrote down the name of the person and what town he was in then handed the piece of paper over to Igor who quickly stashed it in his pocket. Igor smiled again then headed out the door Victor in tow, both of them munching on their breakfast. happy enough. He blinked at the early morning sun and let his eye get adjusted to the new light. He looked both ways before crossing the street then started to make his way back to the stables. Victor stayed eerily silent but Igor knew why that was. He tightened his grip on his hand and lead the way through the town. Victor paused in his following, causing Igor to stop and look back questioningly. Victor paid him no mind though as he scanned the area behind them. After a few moments though he clicked his tongue and started walking again, focusing back on Igor's back. “What was wrong?”

“I thought... I thought I felt someone following us... But- but it was nothing... I think.” Igor frowned and bit his lower lip trying to decide if they should keep going. “Yes, keeping going Igor. Just, let's stay to the well populated streets.” Igor nodded his head and started out once again. It worried him that Victor felt like someone was following them and now he found he couldn't stop himself from looking over his shoulder every few feet, but he never saw anyone that looked like they were following them. It felt as if they couldn't reach the horses fast enough.

It took a few twists and turns down the streets as he hadn't been properly paying attention when he'd come this way. The whole not knowing where Victor had been had pretty much pushed everything else out of his mind. But with persistence and a little backtracking he found the street the stable was on. He let out a sigh of relief as they came around their last turn and the stables that held the horses were within sight. “Well, there you have it Victor. Everything's going to be fine.” Victor nodded his head though he still felt as if they were being followed. Maybe it was just a side effect of the whole... mind reading thing. He rubbed at his temple as the pair of them crossed the street. Then Victor let out a yelp as he felt something hard, heavy, and cold collided with the back of his head and he crumbled to the ground. Igor whirled around in time to receive a knife to his gut and he gasped as pain flooded his senses. He stumbled backwards, his hands flying up to the weapon and hesitantly touched it. The action sent a shock wave of pain through his gut. He heard the sound of a carriage and yelled out as he saw the blonde from the previous night sneer at him. The man driving the carriage hopped down and scooped Victor into his arms then dump him inside the carriage. Igor took a breath then clasped his fingers around the handle of the blade and yanked it out with a scream and a hiss. Then he scrambled to his feet, the knife now in his hand, and stumbled towards the blonde. He had to get to Victor. She rolled her eyes and skirted to one side as he lunged towards her. Why wasn't Victor calling out to him? Had the blow to the head killed him? He turned towards the door and tried to open it but the man who had taken Victor decked him across the jaw and he tumbled backwards onto the ground.

“That one too?” He heard the man ask. He had to get up, he had to get to Victor. He started to push himself back up, but felt a foot kick him back to the ground. He whimpered but tried again, ignoring the pain and the way his limbs shook. "Bloody idiot..." The man bent down and grabbed Igor by the collar of his shirt and slammed his fist into his gut and threw him back to the ground. This time he did not get up. His head was swimming and he could still feel the warmth of the blood where the knife had been. 

Silence a moment, and the blonde stepped up to Igor and grabbed a fistful of his hair and yanked his head up. Stars flew around his vision as he tried to focus on her. She studied him a moment then threw his head back down, making him hiss as it hit with the stones of the street. “No... What I thought I'd sensed from him must have been wrong. Look at the way he's bleeding out. He's a fluke. Just the mind reader.” Igor watched through blurry eyes as the woman slipped into the carriage and it clattered down the street. He memorized the sign he'd seen on the door but he could feel himself fading fast. It took a few minutes as he waited for the stars to go back to the heavens and the world to cease it's unnatural spinning. He had to get help... he had to get up. He crawled across the ground to the wall of the closest building and pulled himself up into a standing position. He took a breath and found the pain had eased tremendously. Maybe... maybe it wasn't as bad as he had thought. He looked down and blanched as he saw the amount of blood he had lost. How was he still alive? He grit his teeth and pulled at the bottom of his shirt up. He needed to see what the damage was. As the skin became visible underneath the cloth though his eyes widened as he caught the last inch of the wound close up, hardly even leaving a scar behind. His hands started to shake even more as he ran them over where the knife had been impaled into his side. It was gone... how in the world was it just gone?

He snapped his head up and looked down the street but already the carriage was gone. He couldn't think about the healed wound right then, he needed to find Victor. He scrambled to his feet and started to race as best he could down it hoping to catch a glimpse of where it had gone. Of course at the street crossing he looked every which way but saw nothing that would help him. He pulled at his hair and bit down on his lip as he tried to figure out something he could do. Something that would find Victor. He had no idea where it had gone, he had no idea who that blonde was or what house that symbol had belonged to... He needed someone who knew something about this city... His eyes widened as it came to him. He needed Toby. He started back towards the pub, running down the streets that he had just walked with Victor in tow. He made it back in half the time it had taken leaving and he burst through the door crying out Toby's name.

“Whoa wha is it lad?” He said coming around a door from the kitchen.

“That blonde lady! She- she-” He doubled over trying to regain his breath.

“Easy, easy. I'll get yah a drink-”

He grabbed onto his arm and held him in place. “She took Victor.” He wheezed out.

The man froze at that. “Oh...”

“Please, I don't know where she's taken him.”

“When you said take-”

“Victor and I were making our way to the horses, Victor felt like someone was watching us but we never saw anyone we thought might have been doing it. So we brushed it off. Then she knocked Victor out and a carriage came up. They threw him into it then left me to bleed to death on the side of the road. Only I didn't... still don't get that- but there was a crest! A crest on the door! Do you have paper?”

The man nodded and pulled it out along with a quill and ink. Igor took up the pen and quickly drew out the symbol he'd seen. “It was an H like this, with a pitchfork? That may be the right word, through the middle of it.” The man paled at the news and managed to get even paler as he looked at Igor's sketch. “You know what it means?”

“Aye lad I do... and I'm afraid that if they've gotten your friend... there's all but no hope at gettin'im back.”

“Who?” Igor didn't give a second thought to the final part. He would get Victor, there was no question there.

“Tha symbol belongs to a group called the Hellfire club lad. They're a nasty piece of work that don't really have morals. Normally they tend to leave mutants to themselves but they have been known to... induct mutants whether they wanted to be apart of the club or not. I didn't realize the blonde had ties with tha lot. If I had I would have made sure you got out of town safely after wha he did to her last night.”

“Where can I find them? I need to get Victor-”

“You're not listening lad, there is no getting him from them. Once they have their sights set on you that's it. Yer done for. You're best bet is to move on with your life and hope they never come knocking again.”

“That is not an option! We have come too far for me to give up on him now... I will not leave him!” he took a breath and ran a hand through his hair and but his lip. “Please... please tell me what ever you can. Give me something to work with on this club.”

“Fine... but it'll be your funeral.” He poured Igor a drink and started to tell him everything he knew about the club. “They're a wealthy lot for the most part. Though the inner circle is made up of the wealthiest and more influential of the group. They also say that the inner circle comes from a very old line of mutants. They say they can trace their lineage back as far as the time of the Romans.” Igor snorted and Toby gave him a look. “Don't laugh. I've heard terrible things about that lot. They take pleasure in shaping the world around them as they see fit. Some do it with their gifts, others with their money. Either way I can guarantee that they have nothing good planned for yer mind reader pal. I don't even want to think about it.” He shuddered and Igor took a large swallow of his drink.

“Their central base is located in London... though I'm not sure where exactly as I've never been there myself. From all the stories I've heard though it's rather hard to miss the outward club. For though the inner circle and a few of the more excitable outer circle enjoy being secretive and manipulative the face of the club is legitimate. I suppose it helps to hide what's actually going on under the surface.” He gave a shrug. “If you plan on getting into that thing and have any hope of getting yer friend out you're going to need help, and probably a good amount of money as well. Don't suppose you got any of that lying about do you?”

Igor raised a brow and looked up. “Actually...”

The man groaned. “Of course you do... I can't come with you, and quite frankly wouldn't even if I could. But... maybe Thomas'll help you.” He turned his head towards the back and yelled out for the man in question. A burly looking man came around the corner who looked like he hadn't touched a shaver in year. He grunted at the two men and raised an eyebrow. “This man here needs help breaking into the Hellfire club and rescuing his...” The pub owner paused and quirked a brow looking up to the ceiling a moment before finishing, “...friend.”

“And you want me to do it?”

Toby nodded his head. “If you would? I'll just have John come in and work till you get back.”

Thomas gave a sigh and looked over at Igor. “What happened?” Igor quickly told him how Victor had been taken by the blonde who Thomas had actually thrown out of the pub the night before. The large man huffed and rubbed at his eyes a moment before he sighed and gave a nod of his head. “Fine... I'll help you.” He had never had personal dealings with the hellfire club before, but he'd rubbed elbows with a few that had and so knew they would have a way to get into the club building at the very least. “Do you got a piece of cloth or something that he's recently used?”

Igor frowned but nodded his head. “Yes, but it'll be back in the saddle bags on the horses. Unless the blanket upstairs would work?”

Thomas looked at Toby and quirked a brow. “Haven't changed the bedding yet have you?” Toby shook his head. “Alright then, I'll be taking a piece of that blanket.” He took the stairs two at a time and disappeared to the second floor.

Igor looked at Toby confused. “What's he going to do?”

“It's part of his mutation. He's freaky strong, as you saw last night, but he also has the nose of a blood hound. If he can catch your friends scent they'll be no stopping him. Though don't hold much hope out till they take him from the carriage. And since the blonde knows that you know me and my people she may very well do everything she can to mask his scent. But better safe than sorry.”

At that point Thomas was back folding the piece of the blanket he'd cut off into his bag. “Come on bub, let's go.”

Igor gave a farewell of thanks to Toby then quickly followed after the man thanking him every step of the way. “If we go to the stables here in town I have two horses we can use to travel.” The man nodded his head and they made their way to the stable. Igor quickly paid the rest for the horses and handed over the reigns of one of them to Thomas. “I'll follow you yeah?”

He gave a quick nod of his head and swung up into the saddle and watched as Igor did likewise. “The carriage may have too far a lead on us, and I can't be sure they're going to London, but London is the best bet for us to figure out where your friend is.” Igor nodded his head and headed out behind the man as they headed down the road. “Now from this point on what ever I say is law, and you do what ever I tell you. If you follow my instructions without hesitation or questioning then maybe we'll actually have a chance at saving this friend of yours. Understand me?”

“Yes!” Igor yelled up.

“And don't yell son, I'm not deaf.” He grumbled over his shoulder.

“Sorry... yes I understand.” They carried on in silence then. Igor tried to look up ahead and will his eyes to make out a carriage but he knew quite a lengthy amount of time had passed since Victor had been taken. How could he have lost him? He had been right behind him, their bodies almost touching and yet he had been snatched away from him. He mentally kicked himself as he knew he could have done something to have prevented this from happening. Taken Victor's feeling of being watched more seriously, taken greater steps to keep them safe, tried to reach the stable faster than what they had been doing... They should have been on their way to the estate to work on Victor's gift, but now he was working on saving Victor's life. He sniffed as tears pricked at his eyes. They hadn't been separated from each other for a year. Only briefly when his father had sold him back to the circus but even then it had only been hours... This... this could be days, weeks before he saw his Victor again. A shudder ran down his spine at the thought.

“Hey, stop your quivering boy, it won't help your friend any and won't get us to London quicker.” He looked back and his face softened as he saw the emotional storm on Igor's face. He sighed and slowed down to pull up next to him. “Look kid, we're going to find him alright? I promise one way or another we'll find him.” Igor nodded his head and tried to take comfort in the mans words.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing except the idea, the side characters, and the mistakes.


End file.
